Customer Reviews

Llewellyn's Witches' Datebook 2002

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a long time user of the datebook, I have become accustomed to the quick reference of planting and harvesting days, moon cycles, and much more. A new tip for the Datebook is to use it as a magickal journal. Write a blurb that you feel you need to carry around with you. If I make inscense or write a spell, I attach a sample to the day of the week.

When I am on the go at festivals, teaching, or just a day at the beach, my datebook becomes the instant BOS and magickal journal to refresh my memory, have an emergency supply on hand of something I need to help someone else. etc....

A new use, for an old tool....

If you practice any type of magick or just want to be more in-tune with nature, this should be on your wish list. This handy datebook gives exact dates and times of the moon cycles and it's passage through the lunar phases. Plus it has some nice stories and recipes from gingerbread to a Midwinter incense. You can record your daily plans and find out the best time for any spell all in one book. Like I said before extremely helpful whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practicer.

I've been getting this datebook for the last three years (2002 is my third) and have come to depend on the little notes about planetary positions, especially retrogrades (dread the Mercury retrogrades and I do plan around them) and void courses for the moon (another thing I plan around). It may sound obsessive but have you ever felt like you just can't do anything right? Check a good calander and it may very well be due to one of the above mentioned things. It's really great for planning classes, Rituals, Open Circles, which I hold monthly, and other events for Sabbats, Esbats, etc right into the mundane things that fill our lives. All that aside, I like the nice size, fold over back cover/page holder, and the week-at-a-glance layout. I normally don't like spiral bound books but this one has never warped or caught on my clothes so I remain impressed.

For the busy Witch on the go, there is the Witches Datebook 2002, with wonderful artwork by Kathleen Edwards and contributions by Dorothy Morrison, Edain McCoy, Yasmine Galenorn and others. The weeks are contained on two pages, with interesting notations, like famous persons birthdays, spell tips, moon phases, astrological associations, and interesting articles. I love the black and white drawings, each appropriate to the season or text. There is a fascinating article called "Lunar Spellworking" by Estelle Daniels in the beginning of the book. The datebook also has an address section in the back for keeping references close at hand. As usual, the article by Dorothy Morrison "The Urban Pagan" shines. How to be a Witch in a city environment, I can relate to that, having lived in New York City for 43 years, it is not an easy task. A must have to keep it all together.

These days it seems that life just flies by, and each day is another generic day, so I thought that I should look deeper into not just the seasons, but to the days and the hours. This date book is very nice and has a wistful beautiful look to the pages. Instead of totally blank calendar books that have the minimum holidays, this book has astrological information on every date and all the Wiccan holidays. It opens flat with its spiral binding and on the left has Monday through Friday and on the right has Saturday and Sunday as well as interesting tidbits about holidays or magical items, recipes, or pictures.

There is one major problem for me with this book, however. I am not so brave (stupid? showy? vain?) as to pull out my planner in any setting and have everyone see the word WITCH'S emblazoned so loudly on the cover. I need a date book I can leave on my desk without calling attention to things about me or the way I think that other's may not understand. I am going to find some cover for the cover, Contact paper or something, so that I can get through my days without having to explain myself. I do think the cover is lovely, but I think Llewellyn should have put an extra, sturdy blank page on the back that I could flip around to the front and disguise the book.

This date book really is a wonderful little thing if you're interested in or practicing wicca. I love reading the bits of history as I review what is on my agenda for the week. Plus, there are some great recipes for incense and cookies for certain holidays. The datebook also lists the moon phases and days for planting and harvesting herbs and plants.

I couldn't give it 5 stars, however, because it repeated a lot of the same old-same old...information from the datebooks of years past. While I understand that you do need to constantly list where Halloween is, they seem to always have the same interesting historical facts about witches and witchcraft. With as much history as the religion has to it, I would think the folks at Llewellyn might be able to dig up a few differing tidbits and at least rotate them every 5 years or so. To their credit they do have a different ritual and craft or recipe to try every year, and I've gotten a lot of tasty treats and decorations out of them in the past!

This does keep me on track for my sabbats, my full and new moons, and my standard holidays. It's terrific, I carry it around as my datebook when I can get away with it! I'd recommend it highly for anyone who's sick of missing Lammas because their standard day planner doesn't have it listed, or missed a time to do major spellwork because their calendar didn't let them know a full moon was here!

I absolutely love this calendar! This is my 4th one (after I switched over from the Astrological Datebook by the same company). I take my Witches' Datebook and pull out the spiral, three hole punch the whole thing, and put it in my leatherbound Dayrunner w/ the kitty etched on the front. It fits perfectly, and I don't sweat it if I'm around someone whom I haven't come out of the broom closet to! This datebook is a must have for me! Blessed Be!